


Dancing in the Moonlight

by The_Forgotten_Nobody



Category: The Old Guard (Comics), The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M, Romantic Banter, spoilers for the movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:55:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25880203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Forgotten_Nobody/pseuds/The_Forgotten_Nobody
Summary: "Nearly a thousand years have passed and still, you have two left feet," Joe teases.“Well, it would not be fair of me to hold all the talents.” If Nicky intentionally causes Joe’s foot to trip on his, neither of them acknowledge it.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 12
Kudos: 316





	Dancing in the Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> I never thought I'd manage to write an Old Guard fic but then I saw some fanart of Nicky and Joe dancing and this happened.

Together, they go to Greece. Mykonos, to be precise. While not the exact land she grew up on, Nicky can see the relief in Andy’s expression as she sets foot on home soil. It’s a sensation they all feel, because he’s not sure any of them particularly like putrid, crowded London. 

They treat the visit as a vacation and a bonding experience. After all, they have had little time to get to know Nile beyond recognising that she is a capable warrior with a kind heart. During the daytime, they relax under the hot, Grecian sun, exploring the white walled, sapphire capped buildings. At night, they sit around a secluded table, make their way through brightly coloured drinks, and talk. The three of them tell Nile about their more innocent adventures, to show her their world is not just full of horror and grief, and in turn, she recounts her life to them and through that, they are given a reminder of what it’s like to age, to know that you will one day die, and therefore have to make the most of living. 

Normally, after a particularly brutal mission, they rest for months. It’s therefore an indication of Andy’s newly acquired mortality that at the end of the third week, she tells them she’s taking Nile to Peru and will leave in the next few days. She doesn’t expand on what they’ll be doing beyond training, but at that single word alone, Nicky and Joe share a look. They both remember Peru very well. In fact, if Nicky thinks about it long enough, his muscles burn just as ferociously as they once had. Andy doesn’t ask them to join and they don’t offer. It’s clear that Andy and Nile share something different, something special, and whilst the vacation together has been enjoyable, Nicky and Joe also need time alone to heal. Joe, especially, is still keenly hurting from the betrayal. He will continue to do so with Nicky, but with the two of them alone, the echoes of Booker will be quieter. 

Rather than stay in Mykonos, they go to Malta. Whenever they feel their worst, Malta brings with it a contrast of peace and happiness. Of course, they have bad memories in every country, but in Malta, there are the least, and some of the best. Nicky will forever fondly recall the time they decided to explore all the different sexual positions the creative human population had come up with in the last decade in order to judge for themselves how pleasurable they really were. It was one particularly interesting position that had Joe nearly falling out the window, arse first, in his enthusiasm. Only their stray cat, Sonno, had saved him but as payment, had left him with 3 glistening, but quickly healed, scratch marks on his left buttock. 

Nicky gets drawn out of the memory by the sound of Joe turning on their old, dying radio sat on the kitchen counter. The music crackles, but Nicky can just make out the sound of a slow, deep tune. With his back still facing Nicky, Joe starts to sway in time. Slowly, he turns and holds out his hand to Nicky invitingly. In protest, Nicky sits back in his chair. 

“We have only just eaten,” he complains. “You know they say you should not exercise after a meal.”

Joe smirks. “You know as well as I do that we have broken that rule at least a thousand times, and lived to tell the tale. Would you truly deny the love of your life a simple dance?” 

Nicky makes a point of sighing dramatically before he takes Joe’s hand. The speed at which Joe lifts him upwards almost knocks the breath out of him, but his husband softens the blow by kissing the back of his captured hand. With much more care, Joe arranges Nicky’s right hand to his waist and holds on tightly to his left. 

The waltz is not Nicky’s favourite. It’s not Joe’s either, but his favourite has been lost to time. Joe is now the only one who remembers it and though he’s tried teaching Nicky...

"Nearly a thousand years have passed and still, you have two left feet," Joe teases as Nicky's foot catches his. His lips are close to Nicky’s ear and they send a shiver down his spine. He shakes it off before replying. 

“Well, it would not be fair of me to hold all the talents.” If he intentionally causes Joe’s foot to trip on his, neither of them acknowledge it. 

“Oh, so it’s only your generosity that allows me to be the better artist, carpenter, poet…,” he trails off with a grin and Nicky rolls his eyes. 

“You ask me to dance with you, but with every word you say, it becomes clearer and clearer that you wish to dance solo.”

Joe laughs and spins Nicky, dipping him slightly so that he can look down into his eyes. Nicky stares up, enamoured with the way the moonlight through the window makes Joe’s eyes glisten like precious jewels. To think that Joe can still take his breath away after all these years simply by existing. 

“If we were but young men again, I would dance with you for hours, habibi. There is no greater pleasure to me than having you in my arms.” 

Nicky’s lips quirk. “Such pretty words. And speak for yourself, old man.” 

Using a manoeuvre perhaps more suited for battle, Nicky reverses their positions so that he holds Joe, the latter’s back arched in a way that speaks of deceptive youth. 

“What can I say, time has left me sentimental,” Joe quips, as if he hasn’t been waxing lyrics about Nicky the moment they decided constantly killing each other was getting boring, and their time could be spent much better. 

He’s missed this, missed the ease with which they can coexist together, missed being able to appreciate the present without worrying which battle needed to be fought, which famine they had to try and solve. Here, they can forget about Andy’s mortality, Booker’s betrayal, the heartache Nile will eventually feel when everyone she knows is little more than a memory. Here, they are just Nicky and Joe. Nicolo and Yusuf, forever and always. 

“Such deep thoughts, my love, when the song hasn’t even finished yet.” Joe says, bringing Nicky back to him. With a small smile, he hoists Joe up and they try again. Despite the fact he knows the rhythm, knows the moves, he still often moves a fraction too soon, or too late. He attempts to lead where he should follow, follow where he should lead. Joe smiles and laughs at each and every mistake, but always accompanies it with such a look of fondness and love that Nicky could never truly get mad at him. Teasing, however, he can do. 

"See if I cook for you tomorrow now," he grumbles, after knocking his leg into the kitchen chair. “And I bought such lovely, fresh ingredients. I planned to bring you breakfast in bed…”

Joe let’s go of Nicky’s hand and wraps his arms loosely around Nicky’s neck. Nicky grabs Joe’s waist in response, and Joe tugs him closer, so that their faces are mere inches apart. 

"Habibi, I am so very sorry," Joe says, fluttering his eyelashes. "You are the light of my life, the sun to my moon, more beautiful than Venus herself. Without you, I am not a man, I am a husk, left to wander aimless until I once more have you close."

"Getting practice in for the next time we are captured, I see," Nicky responds wryly and Joe lets out a full belly laugh, his head flung back and his eyes crinkled with mirth. Nicky loves Joe however he looks, however he feels, but he is most in love, most happy, when Joe is laughing. 

"You know I would tell anyone and everyone just what you mean to me, my dear Nicolo," Joe tells him, and Nicky believes him. Has seen him do it countless times. 

"Perhaps you might get breakfast after all," Nicky says nonchalantly and Joe smiles, this one sly and sultry. He tugs Nicky even closer. Moves his hands down so they can cup his ass. 

Ah, so this is where tonight is headed. Nicky hides a smirk. 

"I'm sure there are other ways I could persuade you, if you are still unsure" he offers in a deep, rumbling voice. He knows what it does to Nicky, and it never fails. Nicky’s heart rate quickens.

"Well, I wouldn't say no," he replies back, mouth dry. Joe keeps smiling and moves them backwards, towards the bedroom. 

Nicky really, really loves Malta.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, consider leaving a kudos or comment!
> 
> I am also very open to hearing any Old Guard fic suggestions anyone has...


End file.
